LindaAnn
Columbus MS
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Joined: 03/15/2007
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I am having a terrible time deciding on a new digital camera. I got lots of good info from an earlier post--it gave me some direction, but I cannot make a decision. The stores around my area have a lot of compact digital cameras, but not much of what I am looking for. When I find one on the internet (Amazon, etc) and start reading the reviews, it becomes even more confusing. Also, I hate to order one without a little hands-on inspection.
Do any of you have a Nikon Coolpix P500? It seems to have a lot of the features I am looking for--viewfinder, 36xzoom, etc.
It's a little larger than I had originally wanted, but I might have to go to this size in order to get more zoom and a viewfinder. I'd really like a Nikon or Canon or Sony.
Any suggestions will be appreciated.
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Don/Shar
Sioux Falls, SD/ Lebanon, Indiana
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I don't believe you can go wrong with a Nikon. I have 4 and love every one. I had a Nikon EM film camera and never got a bad shot. When I retired and went to Alaska the first year I bought a Nikon D70 digital, loved it and got some beautiful shots in Alaska. I just went through Amazon and got a Nikon D5100....16.4 Mpx. I also use a 70-300 zoom lens as I take a lot of bird pictures. I also have a Nikon Coolpix S6100digital 16.0 megapix. Love all my cameras, don't use the film camera anymore it is put away.
Nikon EM...great film camera
Nikon D70 great starter Digital Camera
Nikon D5100 super great Digital Camera
All my lenses will fit on any of the three cameras above Thats what I like about Nikon ...interchangeable lenses.
Nikon Coolpix S6100 very good small camera to carry in my pocket while walking.
My wife says my cameras are my American Express....I never leave home without them.
Don / Sharon Smith
7th year fulltiming
1 high school sweetheart bride of 50 yrs. Sharon
1 long haired mini dauchound...Jake
1997 Beaver Patriot DP
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http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u189/smithster_photos/
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bsinmich
Holland, MI
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I finally bought a Fuji with both a viewfinder and the screen. It is a little larger than pocket size but it does take great pictures. When I travel I usually have a few spare cameras with me. I have bought many cameras over the years and now have over 150 going back to 1893. (I am not that old) When I did weddings I only had one time where I had to switch cameras due to a malfunction and I did a lot of those.
2003 Newmar Mountain Aire, Workhorse W22, 2008 Saturn Vue, Falcon 5250, & US Gear Unified Tow Brake
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Orion
Pacific South West
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Joined: 10/21/2002
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We almost bought a Nikon P500 a little while ago. I really liked the idea of a 36X OPTICAL zoom( digital zoom has little value) The zoom range of the camera is 22-800mm so there is no need for extra lenses, even if they could be fitted. I read quite a few reports on it & the only disadvantages that I can remember is that it could only be recharged with a USB and that when you first switched it on, it went straight to 22mm.
I did try one out briefly in a store and the first problem had been corrected as it had a regular recharger. It did still go to 22mm initially though, which is too wide and makes everything too distant for a quick shot.
The only reason we didn't buy it is that my wife thought it was too big!
I don't believe in astrology. I am a Gemini and
we're very skeptical.
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msmith1199
Central, CA
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Joined: 10/07/2001
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If you stick when one of the major brands you probably will be happy. Optical zoom is a good selling point so as long as you get a name brand with a good optical zoom and a large Megapixel capacity, you'll be happy.
2004 National Tropi-Cal T-350, Class A, Triple slide, 330 HP Cat DP.
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Healeyman
Carrollton, TX
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Joined: 09/08/2006
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LindaAnn wrote:Do any of you have a Nikon Coolpix P500?
I bought a P500 back in September. I have probably shot 1,000 stills and a couple of hours of video with it. Its wide lens is 24, not 22.
This is probably my 10th Nikon all the way back to film in the 1960s. I had the Nikon 5700 and Nikon 8800 before the P500.
Last week, I bought a Casio 12 MP, 10X zoom, point & shoot pocket camera from Amazon ($120).
PM me and I'll send you my Email address and we can discuss the P500 out of the forum.
Tim
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Healeyman
Carrollton, TX
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Here are example pix of the Nikon P500 36X Zoom OUT at 24mm and IN at 864mm (on a 35mm film).
Look for the little white spec WAY down in the center of the alley in the first pic.
BOTH shots are from the same place and both are hand held. AMAZING for a 36X Zoom.
In the film days, I could never hand hold more than about a 250mm (5X) shot.
The zoomed in shot is a little "soft" and a tripot might have helped. Photoshop can probably fix it, though.
Tim
* This post was
edited 03/03/12 06:57pm by an administrator/moderator *
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Healeyman
Carrollton, TX
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I hate to brag again, but here is a pic that I took with the Nikon P500 back in November, 2011.
Tripod mounted, 36X zoom + 2X digital zoom.
Tim
* This post was
edited 03/03/12 06:57pm by an administrator/moderator *
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Orion
Pacific South West
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My apologies Healeyman, I thought it was on another forum where I saw those excellent pictures you took. It was your pictures that sparked my interest in the P500.
BTW, as I suggested back then, did you ever try more pictures of the Moon at different phases to catch more detail?
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old guy
Oregon (pronounced Or e gun)
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Joined: 03/15/2006
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fuji and Nikon are in my option are the two best. zoom and Megapixels are the two main things to consider. the size of the viewing window is important and some people like to have a view finder to look through because on sunny days you can not see the little window on the back very well. a good tripod is a good investment too. cheap one wobble too much so buy on that is around $50 they are more stable and can hold more weight
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